The online chapter in my case is the only way I am involved in BSP. I am not in a land chapter as of yet, but am looking to join one. I have been in BSP for about a year or so and the online chapters really appealed to me so I tried it out. While it has its perks, it also has its disadvantages. I have never been through a new member period or anything like that. Therefore I don't know much about the organization as whole. What I do know is that the land chapters function as any typical sorority would and I know what being a member at large is and what a frendly venture is there are different statuses. Other than that, I know nothing else of the history or the statuses or etc. so I would say that would be the disadvantage of online chapters, at least the on I'm in anyway. I do realize that more people that are in online chapters are also in or have been in land chapters and that I'm a rare case never being in one and not currently a member of one. But I am eager to learn everything and anything there is to know about BSP. I'm not sure if policies allow, but if I ever friendly venture an online chapter I will put on my application (if theres not a standard application that online chapters have to use) a question about how long the pnm has been in BSP and if she is a land chapter that way she can be sure that she is getting her moneys worth. Don't get me wrong I am very happy with my BSP experience so far, I just wish I knew more about the organization so that when I hear these terms I know what they mean and can use them myself in proper context. But usually people join an online chapter if they are unhappy with their land chapter and decide to change statuses to member at large and there are probably other reasons people decide to join online chapters that a BSP that has been in longer than I have can answer. Sorry about the long post.
Hope I have helped you!
Leigh Ann